Title: My Life as a Potato
Author: Arianne Costner
Genre: realistic fiction/comedy
Similar books: Shine! by J.J. Grabenstein
Mr. Bambuckle: Rule the School by Tim Harris
Rating:
 |
| quite fun |
Summary (provided by publisher): Ben Hardy believes he's cursed by potatoes. And now he's moved to Idaho, where the school's mascot is Steve the Spud! Yeah, this cannot be good.
After accidentally causing the mascot to sprain an ankle, Ben is sentenced to Spud duty for the final basketball games of the year. But if the other kids know he's the Spud, his plans for popularity are likely to be a big dud! Ben doesn't want to let the team down, so he lies to his friends to keep it a secret. No one will know it's him under the potato suit . . . right?
Life as a potato is all about not getting mashed! With laugh-out-loud illustrations throughout, hand to fans of James Patterson, Gordan Korman, Jeff Kinney, and Chris Grabenstein!
My opinion: Let's be honest: the plot of this book is entirely expected. Ben is trying to find his place in his new school. He's thrown into a situation well outside of his comfort zone while also trying to capture the attention and affection of the popular girl. So of course the thing he finds embarrassing turns out to be to his benefit. The popular kids are mean, shallow, and no good fir him while the outsiders are the good people and where he belongs. This is all what we expect from a middle grade school story. What I didn't expect was just how entertaining it would prove to be. It's genuinely humorous. The little details, like a kid in a potato costume doing stupid dances and trying to do a hand stand is pretty entertaining. The little details like that make this a solid bit of entertainment and one I'd easily recommend.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
In my continued effort to highlight ladies I admire I made another four peg dolls. Included in this group: Dolly Parton, Evonne Goolagong, Greta Thunberg, and Ida B Wells.
Title: Silverworld
Author: Diana Abu-Jabar
Genre: fantasy
Similar books: Changeling by William Ritter
Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi
Rating:
 |
| not entirely typical |
Summary (provided by publisher): Sitti, Sami's Lebanese grandmother, has been ill for a while, slipping from reality and speaking in a language only Sami can understand. Her family thinks Sitti belongs in a nursing home, but Sami doesn't believe she's sick at all. Desperate to help, Sami casts a spell from her grandmother's mysertious charm book and falls through an ancient mirror into a world unlike any other.
Welcome to Silverworld, an enchanted city where light and dark creatures called Flickers and Shadows strive to live in harmony. But lately Flickers have started going missing, and powerful Shadow soldiers are taking over the land.
Everyone in Silverworld suspects that Shadow Queen Nixie is responsible for the chaos, which is bad enough. But could Nixie be holding Sami's grandmother in her grasp too? To save Sitti and Silverworld, Sami must brave adventure, danger, and the toughest challenge of all: change.
My opinion: The tone of this book is not standard of a middle grade novel. Its a bit more contemplative and artful, does not use the shorter, punchier, and more modern language we usually see. This can mean that the characters don't fully read a believable kids. They feel a touch old-fashioned. On the whole, though, that tone shift is a positive. At least, the plot is engaging enough that most kids won't be put off by the tone. This is a mythology and approach to magic that we don't see often enough. That alone makes this an appealing read. The characters and their relationship to magic keeps us reading. A pretty cool story worth the time.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
Dewdrop by Katie O'Neill
O'Neill has done some surprising things with the story of Dewdrop. The setup is fairly standard: Dewdrop and friends are preparing for a festival, each wanting to show off a special skill. Dewdrop in particular is quite confident in her cheer-leading abilities. In their desire to compete, though, each creature begins to doubt their existing plain and their efforts to be more impressive leave them entirely unprepared. Dewdrop innocently reaffirms their initial joy in their skill. Thus the plot becomes not about being better than anyone else but about finding joy in activities and pushing aside concern over other peoples opinions. Dewdrop uses her skills to lift up her friends without ever having to diminish herself. Older kids will take away a valuable message. Younger kids may enjoy simply leafing through the pages and exploring the small elements of O'Neill's charming illustrations.
More information: Dewdrop releases May 26.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
Who Got Game? Baseball by Derrick Barnes
I've never been much interested in sports. I don't play them and have never cared to watch them. I am generally indifferent towards reading about them. But I rather enjoyed this one. It's all about extremes. Firsts, bests, worsts, and simply amazing stories. There are a few sections related to statistics and team management that were less interesting to me, but the parts about mascots were far more fascinating than I'd anticipated. If you like trivia, give this one a look.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
Title: Jasmine Green Rescues a Piglet Called Truffle
Author: Helen Peters
Genre: realistic fiction
Similar books: Beatrice Zinker, Upside Down Thinker by Shelley Johannes
Calpurnia Tate, Girl Vet by Jaqueline Kelly
Rating:
 |
| hmmmm |
Summary (provided by publisher): Meet Jasmine Green — an aspiring veterinarian who adores animals! Can her kindness and know-how save a piglet in trouble in this delightful series debut?
Jasmine Green loves animals. Her mother is a veterinarian. Her father is a farmer. And her brother and sister are . . . well, they’re mostly annoying. But being in the Green family means seeing and taking care of animals all the time. While helping her mom on a house call, Jasmine visits a new litter of piglets and discovers a forgotten runt hidden underneath its brothers and sisters. Poor little piglet. It is so tiny that it can’t even drink! Its owner refuses to rescue it. So it is up to Jasmine to save the pig . . . secretly. What will happen if anyone finds out? Author Helen Peters and illustrator Ellie Snowdon introduce the irresistible pair of clever, caring Jasmine and lovable Truffle, while capturing the beauty and bustle of a family farm. A kind of James Herriot for a new generation, this first book in the Jasmine Green series is for anyone who loves helping animals.
My opinion: There's a fair amount of factual information in this book. The reader learns about pigs, animal husbandry, the realities of farm living, and sanitation. A wealth of information relayed in a manner fairly natural to the plot. Jasmine's actions give me pause, though. She lies, steals, and manipulates and ends up with exactly what she wanted. Even after being told repeatedly that she could not have a pig. She is essentially rewarded for this behavior. THe writing itself is a bit sterile, utterly lacking in flourishes or artistry.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
Meet Me at Midnight by Jessica Pennington
Total read in March thus far: 67
